This curve illustrates the sensitivity of human neurons to toxic agents.

We plan on continuing to use these and our hNP1 Human Neural Progenitors in kinetic, "in vivo like" assays. These assays will give quantitative data on both growth and differentiation inducing agents as well as specifics on how the cells behave when exposed to toxic agents. I will be posting results here.

This data should be of interested to neuro-disease/disorders basic and drug discovery researchers. We plan on making the assays available to researchers. We currently also do small molecule testing and gene expression analysis studies a CRO offering. To learn more, I can be reached at pshuster@neuromics.com or 612-801-1007.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

We have been running Quantibody® Antibody Arrays on blood serum of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). All reside in areas of heavy industry in Central Europe. All have elevated levels of one or several heavy metals.

These assays are being run as part of our strategy of treating these children with natural stem cell enhancing supplements. Here are the average serum levels of 2 cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-alpha) and 1 related chemokine (CCL3). All of the children had elevated levels vs healthy controls:

Figure: Serum ASD levels vs Healthy Controls (pg/ml)

TNF-alpha and IL-6 promotes the immune/inflammatory response. These two cytokines are guided to sites (including the CNS) of infection or tissue damage by the chemokine CCL-3 and others. In the normal process, the site(s) of immune response are cleaned (the response) of infection and/or damaged tissue and then repaired. The key with autoimmune diseases and disorders, is that that this process becomes a continuous loop; hence, these cytokines and chemokines are elevated. If the loop is broken or down modulated, the the levels of these should decrease.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory. We plan on testing candidate substances (all our currently available as natural supplements) on kinetic assays using our umbilical cord blood human mesenchymal stem cells. These will enable us to quantify cell growth and expansion. We also plan on testing the best candidates on our human neurons to see the effects on cell behavior.

We will then determine safe dosing working with experts in the U.S. and Europe. During treatment, we will again be testing serum to see if the levels of these and other key Cytokines, Chemokines and Growth Factors. This will give proof as to to whether or not the treatments are working. If so, we should see the serum levels of these move toward to those of healthy controls.

Conclusion: Chronic prenatal stress followed by a second exposure to HeICS in adult offspring exacerbated visceral hypersensitivity (VHS) greater in female offspring that persisted longer than in male offspring. Chronic prenatal stress up-regulated BDNF expression in the lumbar-sacral dorsal horn that correlated with the exacerbation of VHS in female, but not in male offspring by increasing RNA Pol II binding and histone H3 acetylation, and decreasing histone deacetylase 1 association with the core promoter of BDNF in female offspring.